This study presents a holistic view of which factors small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have to consider, in moving their customer order decoupling point (CODP) further from the customer, thereby becoming more customized. The study also investigate whether SMEs and larger enterprises differ in the strategic questions relating to what influences an enterprise to become more customized, which prerequisites are required and which problems enterprises should anticipate and prepare for. These questions are important, given that strategic change is challenging, and can take considerable time to accomplish; it therefore needs to be based on the right decisions. This study is motivated by the fact that the markets SMEs are selling to tend to become more and more complex and harder to anticipate. Increased globalisation and use of IT and ICT have lead to greater uncertainty in customer demand.

AbstractBachelor thesis in political science by Alexander Hassan, autumn 2008, ?Effects of external factors on a nations democratisation process during the transition from authoritarian to electoral democratic rule ? A categorical analysis?Supervisor: Tomas SedeliusIn recent years globalization has become a hot topic in understanding the world we live in today. Globalization has indeed had a great impact on international relations and with it a great influence on the domestic conditions that determine a nation?s possibilities. It is therefore rational to hold true that this also would apply to a nation?s democratic process.

Syftet med studien var att beskriva och jämföra tandvårdsrädsla och attityder till tandhygienist vid studiens start samt 3 månader efter icke kirurgisk parodontalbehandling hos patienter med kronisk parodontit samt att beskriva hur olika bakgrundsfaktorer påverkar tandvårdsrädsla och attityder till tandhygienist. Ett ytterligare syfte var att studera sambandet mellan attityder till tandhygienist och tandvårdsrädsla. Studien var en jämförande studie med kvantitativ ansats och en del i en större experimentell studie med två aktiva interventioner för att påverka munhygienbeteende. Studien innefattade 109 studiedeltagare, 57 kvinnor och 52 män i åldrarna 25-65 år som var remitterade till specialistklinik för parodontologi. Frågeformuläret som användes gällande tandvårdsrädsla var Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) med 4 påståenden avseende upplevelser för att besöka tandhygienist.

Allt fler företag fördjupar sig i personalutveckling och arbetstillfredsställelse. Arbetstillfredsställelse har kopplats till begreppet ?core self-evaluation? (CSE), som bygger på fyra personlighetsdrag: generell self-efficacy, locus of control, neurotisism och självkänsla. Studien sökte svar på vilken inverkan CSE och bassjälvkänsla har på arbetstillfredsställelse samt om dessa variabler skiljer sig åt mellan yrkesgrupper. En enkätstudie med 103 respondenter i tre olika yrkesgrupper genomfördes i två städer i mellersta Sverige.

The purpose of this thesis was to highlight how different aspects of market communication are used when micro companies choose to use both Internet and store selling activities towards the consumer market. The thesis dealt with off-line and on-line communication considerations with focus on advertising, interactions, and relations. In order to achieve this purpose a case study was conducted, that revealed that the companies acted according to theories. The conclusions drawn from the thesis were that companies tended to rely on traditional ways of dealing with advertising and interaction. We could also see that relations were created as a result of unconscious behavior and that the Internet activities still were on a basic level..

The DuPont formula is one of the most well known and basic tools used for financial statement analysis and is highly useful for understanding firms strategies and operating environment. Previous studies on American listed companies have also shown that analysis of the changes in the DuPont components is useful in forecasting contexts. In this thesis we test whether disaggregating the change in return on net operating assets provides incremental information about future performance for Swedish listed and not listed companies. We find that the change in asset turnover is a leading indicator of increased profitability for both listed and private companies, regardless of size. We also find evidence that the usefulness of the disaggregation for understanding future performance is greater in capital intense industries and lesser in service industries..

The purpose of this project was to further develop and complete a quadcopter that had been built in an earlier course at KTH, so that it could be used for demonstration and education at the school. The quadcopter was at the beginning of the project completed when it came to hardware, and there was some software functionality implemented but no system for automatic stabilization. The main goal of the project was to implement such a system, and to combine it with the previous functionality to make the quadcopter operable and able to fly. To create a functioning and stable ground multiple basic software features has been implemented, and on top of that additional software to improve the safety, stability and functionality. The most important part is the control system that is responsible for converting sensor and control signals to suitable motor values.

This thesis was performed at SverigeGrepen AB. SverigeGrepen is a company that hasone product on the market; a manure fork that is designed to be used for mucking inshavings or peat. The aim of this thesis was to develop a new manure fork that isadapted to be used in straw.The development started with a pilot study where experience of mucking wascollected to be able to understand what and why certain characteristics are importantfor the function and use of the manure fork.A basic concept was developed where the main function was fulfilled, which meantthat a separation between dung and straw could be performed in a way that wasbeneficial for the user.The work resulted in four concepts of how a manure fork could be used in the strawthat can be designed and constructed. The conclusion that the work gave was that allconcepts met the main requirements required by a manure fork to use in straw.However, concept four provides a good visual impression, while its benefits areassumed to be important qualities..

The focus of this thesis is primarily in electronic construction and describes the design process for a microcontroller circuit board from concept development to prototyping. The client develops test fixtures for automated testing of products within the electronics industry and needs a new controller circuit for the test fixtures that can handle controls and basic testing. An investigation into the needs of such a system is conducted and a prototype printed circuit board assembly is manufactured.The prototype is developed with focus on protection against electrostatic discharges and overvoltage. Among the functions that are included are voltage measurements, communication interfaces and control of input and output currents. Firmware for the prototype is developed and configured to communicate with a PC through USB interface for control and collecting of measurements..

This paper discusses the feeling of insecurity in educational exhibitions. The study analyzes one exhibition at the museum ?Nordiska Museet? in Stockholm, and strives to answer how the question of spatial factors can influence the feeling of insecurity, and thereby also the information process.The following questions have been addressed: Can we speak of a spatial allocation problem of exhibitions that contain much information? What is the relationship between the exhibition's intention and visitors conduct A model has been designed with influence from wayfinding where the exhibition is divided into basic parts, which allows a detailed study of the exhibition, and of how the parts relate to each other. The research contains spatial analyze, observations as well as interviews.The conclusion is that we, in the scientifically investigated exhibition, can speak of a spatial allocation problem when the information seems to be an overload for the visitor..

Hair care is a hygienic treatment and is supervised by the Local Environment and Public Health Committee in the municipality. According to the Swedish Environmental Code, hairdressers as all practitioners are required to take measurements to protect the environment and public health. In hygienic treatments hazards may arise from inadequate hygiene practice which spread infection. Hazards may also arise from the use of hair care products such as permanent wave solutions, bleaches and hair dyes. Some hair dye components are known to cause contact allergy, mostly in hair dressers who are exposed professionally but also in some cases in consumers.

Few generations have gotten as much media attention as Generation Y. Growing up in the digital age Generation Y has become very different from previous generations. An interesting topic is if this is reflected in the way Generation Y act as leaders. The purpose of this study is to describe what kind of leadership Generation Y prefers, to explore how individuals belonging to Generation Y act as leaders and finally to investigate if there is a discrepancy between these two perspectives and if so try to understand it. By reviewing existing research and conducting depth interviews with employees and managers at a Swedish bank we recognize preferences in a number of categories, which Generation Y require from leaders.

Workbooks are used and has been used for a long time in teaching context with younger children. Given that children start grade 1 after one year of preschool, I will in my study examine what type of activities that are presented in textbooks used for teaching younger children in pre-school and school grade 1. The purpose of the study is, through a selection of published skill-training materials investigate its pedagogical basic view related to reading and write form of education in pre-school and school grades 1. In line with the aim of the study and to answer the study questions, a qualitative text analysis and pictures analysis was carried out. The result shows that there are more similarities in content than the forms of the textbooks, there are assumptions about language as well as how images should be interpreted in a right way.

The purpose of this study is to investigate and describe what factors are most important to students when choosing training center, and how these factors affect the choice of each training center. We investigated this by performing a qualitative research and a quantitative survey of students at Karlstad University that trains at Friskis & Svettis and Sats in Karlstad. The results show that there are a number of important factors in the total customer experience that affects a student's choice of training center and that they also differ between a premium center and basic center. Our conclusion is that when a total customer experience concept consists of a core, core experience and peripheral experiences well linked into each other competitive advantages is created, resulting in more satisfied and loyal customers. .

 The purpose with my study was primarily to illuminate the students' expectations on gained knowledge during their studies at the upper secondary school Hotel- and Restaurant program, and to what extent these expectations were fulfilled. Secondarily, the purpose was to compare the students' expected and perceived knowledge with the program goals set by the Swedish government and the knowledge requirements expressed in a pilot study made by the Education council of the Hotel and restaurant business (UHR, 2007).I chose a quantative approach and I used an anonymous group enquiry among students at the Hotel- and Restaurant program at two different upper secondary schools to carry out my study.Tendencies in the result suggested that the students at the Hotel- and Restaurant program expected high knowledge level within the competence areas of Guest reception and communication, Cleaning and hygiene, Cooking of cold and hot dishes and Waiting. The expectations were not big within the areas Computers and Internet and Business economics and management.Fulfillment of expected knowledge tended to be high within the areas where the expectations were big. It might therefore be a good investment for schools to work on the student expectations to increase motivation within the low expectation areas.A confrontation of the tendencies in the result with the program goals and the competence requirements expressed in the UHR study, suggested that the upper secondary Hotel- and Restaurant education might focus some more the areas of Guest reception and communication, Beverages and Organization of banquets. Business economics and management should be given much more weight..